Hannah Kevitt ’23 has always been a natural performer, and her ambition to master her craft led to Elon University as her training ground and eventually to Broadway in "Back to the Future: The Musical" and "Maybe Happy Ending The Musical"
Uncertain about whether college was the right choice for her, Hannah Kevitt ’23 dove straight into theater after high school, performing regionally in the Southeast while also working towards an associate’s degree. But it was a chance meeting with three Elon faculty members during a performance of “South Pacific” that led her to the university.
Kevitt met former Elon faculty member Dan Callaway and Adjunct Assistant Professors of Performing Arts Sara Tourek and Michael Tourek, eventually reaching out to Callaway to explore the possibility of studying theater at Elon. In 2020, she enrolled in the musical theatre program in 2020, appreciating Elon’s distinctiveness and felt it provided everything she was looking for in pursuit of a bachelor’s degree.
“What I loved about an Elon musical theatre degree was that it truly was a choose-your-own-adventure program,” says Kevitt. “If you wanted to work more on dance you had that flexibility, if you wanted to focus on singing you could do that, too.”
Kevitt shares how forming close relationships with her professors significantly influenced her experience at Elon and helped her land her first role on Broadway in “Back to the Future: The Musical.”
“The professors I became close to made all the difference,” said Kevitt. “They were invested in me as a person and performer.”
While at Elon, she met several faculty members that became not just educators but vital anchors, providing her with invaluable advice and unwavering support. Courtney Liu, assistant professor of music theatre; Kim Shively, associate professor of performing arts and Brian Kremer, associate professor of music theatre were instrumental in guiding her through the challenging process of auditioning for Broadway. Shively provided her with a book of affirmations to help manage the stress, while Kremer assisted her in refining her song cuts. Meanwhile, Liu was there to help her practice her dance routines.
“Professor Liu changed my life,” says Kevitt. “She came to Elon in my senior year and was exactly the professor I needed. She was an amazing champion for me and gave me all the advice I could ever want.”
Kevitt also utilized her time at Elon as a time for self-discovery. She notes that college was where she began to understand more about herself including how much sleep she needed, what food fuels her and her best learning methods. By understanding herself better, Kevitt became better equipped to succeed in her profession.
Now working on Broadway’s “Maybe Happy Ending the Musical,” Kevitt continues to take her experiences at Elon with her in her training and life in the Big Apple. She looks back on her time at Elon with great fondness. Beyond the classes and professors, she cherishes the countless memories made with some of her lifelong friends, who she claims have profoundly influenced her life and shaped the person she is today. Elon also opened doors to incredible opportunities through its extensive alumni network, creating valuable connections that continue to benefit her.
“I feel really grateful for my time at Elon as well as the alumni network, since I’ve moved to the city and started working on Broadway I’ve gotten to meet a lot of Elon people,” she explained.
In her first Broadway show, “Back to the Future: The Musical,” Kevitt worked with JJ Nieman ’17. Dancing together for hours every week brought the two very close and started a beautiful friendship.
“It’s really cool to graduate and leave Elon knowing you are in safe hands with the alumni network,” said Kevitt.
Kevitt says the community has been the most rewarding part of being on Broadway thus far. The cast she worked with on “Back to the Future: The Musical” was filled with inspiring and loving people. Her castmates supported her through this exciting yet intimidating experience. Starting on Broadway freshly out of college would be nerve-wracking for anyone, but thanks to their support Kevitt says she felt a little less alone. The cast allowed her to make mistakes and helped her to learn the ups and downs of being in a Broadway production.
Kevitt says her journey to Elon and eventually Broadway would have never happened without the support of her parents. She was adopted from China and grew up in rural North Carolina and her father inspired her to dream big, while her mother taught her the importance of planning those dreams. Both parents were vital in encouraging her to pursue musical theatre, which made all the difference for her. Her dad was always confident in her ability to perform and so when the day came for her first performance, he was ecstatic to see her up on stage. But the stress of the moment proved too much for young Kevitt, and she froze at her show. Her dad never gave up on her and decided to help her combat her stage fright by signing up to do the next show with her. This endless support and unconditional love from her parents are what Kevitt says allowed her to pursue her dreams.